The Moderating Effect of Project Complexity on the Relationship between Scope Creep and Project Success –Construction Industry Perspective

Abstract

Achieving stated goals within time frame and within budget is one of the main concern for construction project managers and practitioners. The delay in the completion of projects wastes precious time and results in squandering of considerable amount of money. This study was conducted to check the impact of scope creeps on delivering a successful project while considering the impact of complexity. This very study covered different types of construction projects i.e. house building, commercial, and infrastructural. The general objective of this study is to check the influence of scope creeps on project success by considering project complexity. A questionnaire survey method was adopted to investigate the relationship. Data were collected from 327 respondents including project managers, top-level managers, civil engineers, and persons who undertook projects of various sizes and nature of projects across Pakistan especially based in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The study has empirically demonstrated that factors of scope creep i.e. technological, organizational, and human has a significant negative impact on the success of the projects undertaken in the construction sector in Pakistan. The study has proven that the more the scope creeping is the less the chances of successful completion of the project. Furthermore, it has also been proven in the study that project complexity played a significant role as a moderator between scope creep and project success. The very study has significant importance for construction project practitioners and engineers as the study has proven the negative impact of scope creep on project success. By adopting proper planning, devising a better communication strategy, and implementing proper change control procedures through a change control board, scope creeping can be reduced to an amount that can have a negligible impact on the success of the project. Apart from its practical implications, the study contributes significantly to the area of research, especially in the domain of project management.